Historical Perspectives

• Biological Underpinnings: To study the “animal roots” of behaviour, relate actions / experiences to genetics and physiology, and ultimately relate biology to issues of psychology.
• Neuroscience: Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure of the nervous system, Neurochemistry is the chemical basis of neural activity, Neuroendocrinology is the study of interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system, Neuropathology is the study of nervous system disorders, Neuropharmacology is the study of the effects of drugs on neural activity, and Neurophysiology is the study of the functions and activities of the neural system.
• Phineas Gage (1823 - 1860): Survived an accident with an iron rod going through his head, the rod damaged his Frontal Lobe, leading to changes in personality and changes in the way his behaviour was perceived.
• Cocaine Use: Motivation is the desire to seek out pleasurable stimuli, which is increased by cocaine, which also increases dopamine production.
• Infidelity: Testosterone is a male hormone that regulates sexual behaviour, with higher testosterone leading to higher “masculinity” (body / facial features), and a greater drive for competition which leads to more infidelity.
• Embodied Behaviour: The idea that the movements we make and the movements we perceive in others are central to our behaviour and perception of ourselves.
• Evolution by Natural Selection: Wallace and Darwin, 19th Century, stating that individuals most suited to their environment are most likely to create more offspring, and that the unequal ability of individual members to survive or reproduce leads to a gradual change (variety) in the population, supporting Materialism.
• Mendel’s Pea Experiment: Explains how characteristics are inherited, and that characteristics are never “killed off”, theyre just hidden.
• Biological Underpinnings: To study the “animal roots” of behaviour, relate actions / experiences to genetics and physiology, and ultimately relate biology to issues of psychology.
• Neuroscience: Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure of the nervous system, Neurochemistry is the chemical basis of neural activity, Neuroendocrinology is the study of interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system, Neuropathology is the study of nervous system disorders, Neuropharmacology is the study of the effects of drugs on neural activity, and Neurophysiology is the study of the functions and activities of the neural system.
• Phineas Gage (1823 - 1860): Survived an accident with an iron rod going through his head, the rod damaged his Frontal Lobe, leading to changes in personality and changes in his behavior.
• Cocaine Use: Motivation is driven by the desire for pleasurable stimuli, which is increased by the production of dopamine.
• Infidelity: Testosterone is a male hormone that regulates sexual behaviour, with higher testosterone levels leading to higher “masculinity” (body / facial features), and a greater drive for competition which leads to more infidelity.
• Embodied Behaviour: The idea that the movements we make and the movements we perceive in others are central to our behaviour and perception of ourselves, as proposed by Prinz, 2008.
• Evolution by Natural Selection: Wallace and Darwin, 19th Century, stating that individuals most suited to their environment are most likely to create more offspring, and that the unequal ability of individual members to survive or reproduce leads to a gradual change (variety) in the population, supporting Materialism.
• Mendel’s Pea Experiment: Explains how characteristics are inherited, stating that characteristics are never “killed off”, theyre just hidden.